Advocacy

Advocacy

Recognized by judges, practicing attorneys and law professors around the country for producing lawyers of unparalleled quality, preparedness and integrity, Baylor Law’s renowned Trial Advocacy program ranks among the finest law school programs in America. Ranked 5th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the Advocacy program has consistently eclipsed some of the country’s most prestigious schools, finishing in the top 5 every year since 2010.

INCREASED RIGOR.

At Baylor Law, students progress from fundamental legal doctrine and theory in first-year courses to increasingly more sophisticated and complex substantive and procedural issues in the second. Advocacy exercises place students in the center of the litigation process, as they begin to assimilate the skills and strategies they will need as practicing attorneys. Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions give students additional opportunities to hone those skills, as they face off against their peers and some of the top law school teams in the country. As they progress, the intensity increases.

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE.

The experience culminates in the third year, when every Baylor Law student enters Practice Court—a 2-quarter, 4-course, real-world training ground—that will not only test their legal acumen, but the critical thinking, analytical precision, written and oral advocacy skill and mental fortitude they will need to successfully represent clients in a pressurized legal world. Known as the "Marine Corps of law school", students go on to try multiple court cases from beginning to end—from pre-trial preparation of filing petitions and answers, arguing motions, taking depositions and gathering evidence—to crafting opening statements, examining witnesses, selecting juries, and delivering closing arguments.

PRACTICE READY.

Leading that experience are some of the finest practicing trial lawyers and judges in the nation. Every one of Baylor Law’s outstanding full-time Practice Court professors bring extensive civil or criminal litigation experience, with three having tried more than 50 jury trials each. With the addition of adjunct faculty, expert commentators, cutting-edge courtroom technology, and advanced trial simulations, Baylor Law students leave the program with the elite combination of skills, poise, precision and confidence that truly make them “practice ready.”

Having built a national reputation for excellence, it’s no wonder that the Advocacy program at Baylor Law attracts so many of America’s top aspiring trial lawyers. And why, on a per capita basis, so many of America’s top trial lawyers are graduates of Baylor Law.

“Baylor Law has one of the most exceptional trial advocacy training programs in the country”

—James B. Sales
Retired partner of Fulbright & Jaworski Former State Chair, American College of Trial Lawyers

“Lawyers from all over the country appear in my court, and Baylor Lawyers consistently stand out as being both highly skilled and well-prepared. They are formidable courtroom advocates.”

—The Honorable Leonard Davis
Former Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

“I have worked for the last 50 years with trial lawyers all over the United States, and have entrusted Baylor Law with the education of two sons and two grandsons for a reason: there is no finer advocacy training anywhere in the nation.”

—The Honorable William S. Sessions
Former Director of the FBI
Former Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas